Oberst

History and origins

Oberst is a German word. Spelled with a capital O, "Oberst" is a noun and defines the military rank of colonel or group captain. Spelled with a lower case o, or "oberst", it is an adjective, meaning "superior, top, topmost, uppermost, highest, chief, head, first, principal, or supreme". Both usages derive from the superlative of ober(e), "the upper" or "the uppermost".

As a family name, Oberst is common in the southwest of Germany, in the area known as the Black Forest (Schwarzwald). The name is also concentrated in the north-central cantons of Switzerland (Aargau & Zürich). Here the Swiss version of Oberst is spelled Obrist. The name first appeared in the thirteenth century in the German-Swiss border area, and early forms were Zoberist and Oberist. The name most likely refers to the "tribe that lives the highest on the mountain" or "the family that lives the highest in the village".

Translated as "superior" or "supreme", the rank of Oberst can trace its origins to the Middle Ages where the term most likely described the senior knight on a battlefield or the senior captain in a regiment. With the emergence of professional armies in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, an Oberst became the commander of regiment or battalion-sized formations.

By the eighteenth century, Obersten were typically afforded aides or lieutenants, often titled Oberstleutnant. This led to formation of the modern German rank of the same name, translated as lieutenant colonel.

Austria

| Non-NATO rank = OF-5 Oberst is the fifth highest rank in the Austrian Armed Forces.

Denmark

| Non-NATO rank = The Danish rank of oberst is based around the German term. Ranked OF-5 within NATO and having the paygrade of M402, it is used in the Royal Danish Army and the Royal Danish Air Force. The equivalent rank in the Royal Danish Navy is kommandør.

History

The rank can be traced back to at least 1563, when Count Günther of Schwarzburg-Arnstadt was named feltøverste (; ) of the Danish troops during the First Northern War. By 1586, was named Rigets oberst ().

On 25 May 1671, the ranks were codified, by King Christian V, with the publication of the Danish order of precedence. Here there were two types of obersts. The colonel of the Life Guards placed below major general, and above colonels of the infantry and cavalry, which in turn was placed above the rank lieutenant colonel of the Life Guards.

As part of the Army Reform of 1867, the ranks of Major, Lieutenant colonel were removed, making oberst the only senior officer. By 1889, oberstløjtnant was reintroduced.

Germany

| Non-NATO rank =

Oberst (short: O) is the highest staff officer rank in the German Army (Heer) and the German Air Force (Luftwaffe).

''Oberst'' in the ''Bundeswehr''

Main article: Ranks of the German Bundeswehr, Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr

The rank is rated OF-5 in NATO, and is grade A16 or B3 in the pay rules of the Federal Ministry of Defence. It is equivalent to:

• Oberstarzt, Oberstapotheker, and Oberstveterinär in the Joint Medical Service of the German Bundeswehr;
• Kapitän zur See and Flottenarzt in the German Navy.

On the shoulder straps (Heer, Luftwaffe) there are three silver pips (stars) in silver oak leaves.

''Oberst'' in East Germany

Main article: Ranks of the National People's Army

Oberst was in the so-called armed organs of the GDR (), represented by Ministry of National Defence, and Ministry for State Security, the highest field officer rank, comparable to the colonel in many NATO-Armed forces (Rangcode OF-5). This was in reference to Soviet military doctrine and in line with other armed forces of the Warsaw Pact.

''Oberst'' in the ''Wehrmacht''

Oberst was in the German Reich and Nazi Germany the highest field officer rank, comparable to the OF-5 rank in many NATO-Armed forces. It was equivalent to Kapitän zur See in the Kriegsmarine, and SS-Standartenführer in the Waffen-SS until 1945.

Norway

The rank of oberst was introduced around the same time as Denmark, as Norway at the time was part of Denmark–Norway.

Norway-army-OF-5.svg|Army Norway-air force-OF-5.svg|Air Force

Sweden

Main article: Överste

The Swedish variant överste, is the most senior field grade military officer rank in the Swedish Army and the Swedish Air Force, immediately above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general. It is equivalent to the naval rank of captain in the Swedish Navy.

Sweden-Field-OF-5 (2019).svg|Army OF-5 Överste AMF hylsa.jpg|Amphibious Corps OF-5 Överste FV hylsa.svg|Air Force

Switzerland

Vatican Swiss Guard (SG) | Non-NATO rank = In the Swiss Army, the Oberst ranks above the lieutenant colonel ("Oberstleutnant") and below the brigadier general ("Brigadier"). In peacetime, it is the fourth highest officer rank.

The Oberst is the commander of a Kommando (Gren Kdo, Flpl Kdo), the army engineer staff, or an antiaircraft  (Flab) cluster. These formations are comparable to regiments. As a staff officer, the Oberst performs various specialized functions in the staffs of the Army, Air Force, and territorial regions. In the brigades, the Oberst (in the general staff - "Oberst i Gst") performs the role of deputy commander and/or chief of staff. In the military justice system, the presidents of the military courts hold the rank of Oberst.

References

;Citations

;Bibliography

da:Oberst de:Oberst no:Oberst

References

1. "Rank Insignias". Ministry of Defence.
2. (1997). "Den Danske Hær og Flådes Uniformer 1886". Devantier.
3. (26 June 2000). "Förordning om ändring i officersförordningen (1994:882)". [[Swedish Code of Statutes]].